This paper investigates the situation of employed women as it is reflected
in Czech women’s periodicals at the break of the 19th and the 20th century. Research is based on three periodicals published for the middle class women, Ženské listy, Ženský svět, Ženský obzor, and one, Ženský list, published for the working class women. Several dozens of articles provide sufficient picture, though not systematic, on various and mostly alarming conditions, in which most women made their living. Poor wages, long working hours, inequality in comparison with men, abuse, no social security, short life span had been just some of problems affecting women. The way out of these destructive conditions was mostly seen in better education of women and in struggles for legislative changes, which was realistic only if women got more involved in political and interest organizations. Almost every article can be a source of inspiration to get involved into more thorough and systematic research on the subject. Systematic research would also provide insight into problems, which are begenning to be relevant to some trends of the present.